Showtimes: 7:00 PM and 8.30 PM | Tickets: $35 at the door. Reservations: Not necessary. We recommend arriving 20-30 minutes before showtime to secure your seat. Seating: Available throughout the shows. Bar Hours: Open from 5:00 PM to midnight — no cover charge to enjoy cocktails and the vibe! “…one of the most potent, if under recognized, guitarists on the post-Frisell/post-Scofield scene.” – Bill Milkowski, Jazz Times “Will Bernard is one of the best-kept jazz-guitar secrets on the planet.” – Dan Ouellette, Billboard Will began playing and recording on an international level as a member of Peter Apfelbaum’s Hieroglyphics Ensemble,who made their recorded debut with Don Cherry on “Multikulti” (A&M 1989). Since then, Bernard has participated in a host of boundary stretching groups, ranging from jazz, hip-hop and world music to experimental music, with many stops in between. In the 90’s Bernard recorded and performed with many projects under the direction of acclaimed producer Lee Townsend and worked with groups ranging from the Hindustani-influenced Jai Uttal to the political hip-hop group the Coup. The most commercially successful of these projects was the group T.J. Kirk (with Charlie Hunter) whose sophomore album “If Four Was One” on Warner bros. was nominated for a Grammy in 1997. Will made further inroads with the Stanton Moore trio which toured extensively and made 3 albums on Telarc and a Hal Leonard drum instructional video and book. Bernard broke out as a bandleader in 1998 with the release of “Medicine Hat” (Antilles/Polygram), showcasing his expert chops and flair for funky, bottom-heavy soul-jazz. He then followed up with two self produced albums (“Motherbug” and “Directions To My House”), before making two albums on Palmetto Records (“Party Hats” and “Blue Plate Special”). “Party Hats” garnered a nominated for a Grammy Award in 2008 for best contemporary jazz album. The all-star “Blue Plate Special” includes performances by Stanton Moore, Andy Hess and John Medeski. In 2011, Bernard released an organ trio record titled “Outdoor Living” to positive reviews with his own genre-bending style. Will recorded 3 albums on Posi-tone records “Just Like Downtown” (Posi-Tone 2013) which features John Ellis on tenor sax and bass clarinet, Brian Charette on organ, and Rudy Royston on drums and “Out and About” (2016). which features Ben Allison, Allison Miller, Brian Charette and John Ellis. And Ancient Grains (Posi-Tone 20210 These recordings demonstrates Bernard’s roots in straight-ahead jazz and more traditional styles as well as funk and free wheeling improv. Will recent self produced albums include Freelance Subversives (2020 Ropeadope), Pondlife (2022 Dreck to Disk) and “Sky” with Beth Custer (Dreck to Disk 2023). As a touring artist, Bernard has hit the road extensively with sin his own bands or as a member of the Stanton Moore Trio, Robert Walter’s 20th Congress, Groundation, and numerous other lineups. As a leader Bernard has p...
